Stillwater Trio Charged with Burglary at Birchwood Townhomes

Three Stillwater residents charged with felony counts of third-degree burglary and aiding and abetting burglary are preparing to appear in Washington County court for their roles in a Nov. 7 incident in the 14000 block of 62nd Street North. 

According to separate Washington County criminal complaints filed on Nov. 16:

The manager of Birchwood Townhomes called Stillwater police to report a burglary that occured sometime between Nov. 4 and 7.

Based on the evidence at the scene, officers concluded that an individual or group of individuals entered the apartment through an unlocked sliding glass door, which was typically secured.  

Police were later called back to the complex on Nov. 9 where they arrested Blaze William Schultz, 22, Dylan El Schultz, 18, and Trissa Amy Herbst, 19, for trespassing in a vacant unit without permission from management.

After the three suspects were arrested, the apartment's caretaker was securing the vacant unit when he noticed a stack of mail addressed to Birchwood Townhomes on the counter, the complaint states. Based on the information he collected, Stillwater police received a search warrant for a second Birchwood unit.

That's where police recovered a silver digital camera, a Google HTC cell phone and a second stack of mail addressed to Birchwood Townhomes, the complaint states. Within the stack of mail, police reportedly found personal checks and money orders that had been submitted to the rental office to pay tenants' rent.

Herbst told police he entered the entered the management office to take the keys to the unit where the three were illegally staying, the complaint states. Herbst also told police that Blaze Schultz entered the management office while she and Dylan Schultz stood by as lookouts.

Herbst told police Blaze Schultz left the management office carrying, among other things, a digital camera, cell phone and a stack of mail, the complaint states. 

Court hearings are scheduled for Trissa Herbst on Dec. 21, Dylan Schultz on Mar. 7, and Dylan Schultz on Mar. 8. If convicted, they each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.